July 19, 2021

19Jul

POLICY & POLITICS

 

The Maddy Institute would like YOUR feedback! Please help us better serve you and our communities by taking a few moments to complete our annual survey.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

County takes control of Turlock property

Turlock Journal

A Turlock property that has repeatedly been the site of illegal marijuana grows, as well as other drug and nuisance issues, has been placed into county receivership after a court ruling.

 

House Appropriations Committee approves $300K in funding for Turlock nonprofit

Turlock Journal

Pending approval from the President, one nonprofit in Turlock could benefit greatly from Congressman Josh Harder’s presence on the House Appropriations Committee after it approved several of his proposed funding projects this week.

 

Stanislaus County leaders vote to give themselves a raise. One supervisor opposes it

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County supervisors and other high-level officials will receive 3% annual pay raises and the one-time COVID bonuses given to county employees. The Board of Supervisors approved the pay increases on a 4-1 vote Tuesday.

TUSD virtual forum to share school safety plan

Turlock Journal

Turlock Unified School District will hold a virtual forum for families next week following updated mask guidelines released Monday by the state, which leave decisions on face coverings up to local schools.

 

Update: Modesto says it has two finalists for police chief but declines to name them

Modesto Bee

Modesto is down to two finalists for its next police chief. City Manager Joe Lopez picked them from the four candidates who were interviewed by two panels and in consultation with an official from Ralph Andersen & Associates.

 

‘A community builder’: Ceres dedicates Guillermo Ochoa Park, honoring Latino leader

Modesto Bee

“People will see this sign for years to come, and when they ask ‘Who is Guillermo Ochoa?’ they will know that he is a community builder who was passionate about serving others,” Ochoa said. “It is our hope that this sign will inspire others to do the same.”

 

Yes, Modesto’s trees are a problem. City reveals its plans on how to address them

Modesto Bee

The City Council on Tuesday approved spending the money to remove dead and diseased trees and stumps, as well as the parasite mistletoe from trees, and plant new ones.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

California Senator Alex Padilla talks water projects during visit to Fresno, Valley

Fresno Bee

In his first official visit to the central San Joaquin Valley, Sen. Alex Padilla pledged Friday to back funding for infrastructure across California as a way to improve the economy.

See also:

 

All Fresno County schools to require masks in classrooms regardless of vaccination status

Fresno Bee

Students and teachers in Fresno County will wear masks in classrooms this fall, regardless of coronavirus immunization status, schools and health officials said Friday. Students will be allowed to remove their masks outdoors during recess.

See also:

 

Warszawski: ‘A huge responsibility dodge.’ Officials take easy way out on Creek Fire near Fresno

Fresno Bee

My news story on the U.S. Forest Service declaring the cause of the Creek Fire as “undermined” went online Friday at 12:42 p.m. At 12:53 p.m., the reactions of Fresno County residents started trickling into my inbox.

See also:

 

Will an amusement park really come to Fresno? Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

Fresno leaders on Thursday confirmed they “rolled out the red carpet” for a big-time investor interested in financing a bunch of new entertainment developments. While nothing is set in stone, the potential of $300 million worth of projects would undoubtedly transform Fresno.

See also:

 

Selma Police Chief Joseph Gomez to take time off, but city manager won’t say why

Fresno Bee

The chief of police in Selma will be away from the job until further notice, the city manager confirmed Friday night. Joseph Gomez was sworn in as chief in March. He worked 33 years in the Fresno Police Department, retiring as a lieutenant.

 

After tragic death, Fresno water park operators to fight back against Cal-OSHA report

Fresno Bee

Bob Martin, general manager of the Island Waterpark in Fresno, said they would appeal several findings from a Cal/OSHA inspection following a potential Father’s Day drowning.

 

Big loss for group fighting to keep old Fresno High mascot as judge throws out lawsuit

Fresno Bee

A Fresno judge this week dismissed a lawsuit against Fresno Unified that alleged the district broke the law late last year when trustees voted to change the Fresno High School mascot.

 

Fresno-area college board member works for fellow trustee. Is that a conflict of interest?

Fresno Bee

Nasreen Johnson, a trustee for State Center Community College District, said her new position working for a fellow board member wouldn’t interfere with her duties on the board.

 

Piece of Sierra Nevada history for sale in Fresno County — and comes with its own Post Office

Fresno Bee

The Big Creek General Store is for sale — but it will take the right buyer. The building is close to 90 years old and is a historic and important part of the small, tight-knit Sierra Nevada community between Shaver and Huntington lakes in Fresno County.

 

Valley Voices: Health crisis: By one measure, Fresno’s domestic violence is the highest in the state

Fresno Bee

“One day he stole my car and wrecked it. When I called the cops on him, he threatened to kill me.” This is Molly, a survivor of domestic violence. Last year she remembers feeling hopeless, lonely, and terrified to be homeless.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Bakersfield establishes 'rules of decorum' following contentious council meeting

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has established new rules of decorum for attendees of City Council meetings that strengthen its authority to remove individuals officials deem disruptive to proceedings.

 

Rep. McCarthy calls upon federal agencies to reopen amid backlog

Bakersfield Californian

McCarthy, Nunes and Valado, and other representatives sent a letter to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. General Services Administration calling for in-person work to resume within federal offices.

 

Kern County's unemployment rate rises to 10.8 percent in June

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County’s unemployment rate increased from 10 percent in May to 10.8 percent in June, according to preliminary data from the California Employment Development Department released Friday.

 

BCSD's new superintendent's first order of business: making sure students feel welcome, safe

Bakersfield Californian

When superintendent Doc Ervin announced he was leaving the Bakersfield City School District, board president Pam Baugher said the board was looking for continuity during a chaotic time in education.

 

“A River Remembered” Looks Back To When The Kern River Flowed Through Bakersfield

VPR

A project is underway throughout July to remember when the now dry Kern River flowed through the city of Bakersfield. The organization Bring Back the Kern is collecting photos, videos and stories of the once moving river for an upcoming exhibit.

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

Who’s in? California recall candidate list draws confusion

Fresno Bee

The official list of who's running in California's recall election of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom remained unsettled Sunday, with conservative talk radio host Larry Elder maintaining he should be included and state officials giving no details as to why he wasn't.

See also:

 

California lawmakers approve nation’s first state-funded guaranteed income plan

Los Angeles Times

California lawmakers on Thursday approved the first state-funded guaranteed income plan in the U.S., committing $35 million for monthly cash payments to qualifying expectant mothers and young adults who recently left foster care with no restrictions on how they spend it.

See also:

 

Law enforcement unions donate to California Democrats ahead of police reform vote

Fresno Bee

California law enforcement unions are contributing tens of thousands of dollars to influential Democratic lawmakers as the Legislature advances a controversial police reform bill that would allow departments to strip badges from officers with serious misconduct records.

 

Walters: ‘Roaring back’ is just a campaign slogan, not reality

CalMatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom repeatedly chants that California is “roaring back” from pandemic, but ignores the state’s stubborn socioeconomic problems.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

Biden Makes A Push For Democrats To Unite Around $3.5 Trillion Budget Plan

NPR

President Biden went to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to begin the push to unite Democrats from both the progressive and moderate wings of his party around the $3.5 trillion budget blueprint unveiled by Democrats on the Senate budget panel.

See also:

 

Vice President Harris Hints That She Has Discussed Filibuster Changes With Senators

NPR

With voting rights legislation stalled in the Senate because of Republican opposition, Vice President Harris suggested that she has talked to senators about exceptions to the legislative filibuster but said she will not be publicly negotiating an issue that the White House insists is up to lawmakers, she told NPR in an interview Tuesday.

See also:

 

Senate Infrastructure Bill Drops IRS Funding, Raising Pressure for New Revenue

Wall Street Journal

Lawmakers dropped plans to pay for a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure package in part by boosting tax-collecting enforcement at the Internal Revenue Service, a setback for the bipartisan measure ahead of a looming deadline for agreement.

 

Senate candidates spending campaign cash early so they can raise more later

Roll Call

Senate candidates who are raising lots of campaign cash aren’t waiting to spend it, early fundraising numbers show. A handful of Senate candidates have spent more than $1 million from April through June, even though Election Day is more than 15 months away.

See also:

 

GOP ramps up attacks on teaching critical race theory to military

Roll Call

Congressional Republicans are attempting to tie the Biden administration to the argument, made by many progressives in the Democratic Party, that the United States is “systemically racist,” and the GOP is focusing its attention on the Pentagon.

 

U.S., allies accuse China of hacking Microsoft and condoning other cyberattacks

Washington Post

The U.S., EU, NATO and other world powers accused the Chinese government of a broad array of malicious cyber activities, blaming its Ministry of State Security and affiliated criminals for a sophisticated attack on Microsoft’s widely used email server software earlier this year.

See also:

 

Opinion: Biden executive order reflects flawed views on internet competition

The Hill

Last Friday, the Biden administration unveiled a sweeping new executive order designed to promote competition across the American economy. Some of its initiatives, such as occupational licensing reform, are both welcome and long overdue.

 

Opinion: States use tax incentives to lure companies. Bipartisan support is growing to stop it

Washington Post

President Biden and Democrats in Congress have kicked off a national debate about raising corporate taxes. Another conversation is happening outside Washington, D.C.: how to slash the nearly $95 billion in tax incentives that states and cities give to businesses every year.

 

Justice Dept. sharply limits seizures of reporters’ phone and email records by prosecutors trying to secretly investigate leaks

Washington Post

A memo by Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department will no longer seek phone or email records for journalists “acting within the scope of newsgathering activities.”

See also:

 

Biden’s Facebook Attack Followed Months of Frustration Inside White House

Wall Street Journal

Biden’s attack on Facebook Inc. followed months of mounting private frustration over the social-media giant’s handling of vaccine misinformation, according to U.S. officials, bringing into public view tensions that could complicate efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.

 

Opinion: Biden Politicizes the Social Security Administration

Wall Street Journal

The name of the SSA’s commissioner isn’t one most Americans would recognize. This is largely by design. Congress, presidents from both parties, and previous commissioners have made it a point to ensure the commissioner’s role remains nonpartisan.

 

Opinion: Biden Turns Back the Progressive Clock

Wall Street Journal

In a sweeping executive order aimed at reimposing Progressive Era regulatory policy across the U.S. economy, President Biden recounted the foundational myths of modern progressivism.

 

Joe Biden's Approval Rating Is Soaring Among Independents

Newsweek

President Joe Biden's approval rating among independent voters has soared following a sharp decline at the end of June, according to an Ipsos survey.

 

Swing Country: Rural Dems run from party

Axios

A growing swath of House Democratic candidates says the party needs to radically improve its heartland appeal to have any hope of keeping power in Washington.

See also:

 

Other:

 

How much do Americans trust science? Confidence wanes — but politics matter, poll says

Fresno Bee

Sixty-four percent of respondents said in a new Gallup survey that they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in science, compared to 70% of U.S. adults who said the same when Gallup asked in 1975.

See also:

 

Home broadband adoption, computer ownership vary by race, ethnicity in the U.S.

Pew Research Center

Black and Hispanic adults in the United States remain less likely than White adults to say they own a traditional computer or have high-speed internet at home, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Jan. 25 to Feb. 8, 2021.

Biden Is Reviving An Effort To Change How The Census Asks About Race And Ethnicity

VPR

President Biden's White House is reviving a previously stalled review of proposed policy changes that could allow the Census Bureau to ask about people's race and ethnicity in a radical new way in time for the 2030 head count.

See also:

 

Despite the hype, iPhone security no match for NSO spyware

Washington Post

The text delivered last month to the iPhone 11 of Claude Mangin, the French wife of a political activist jailed in Morocco, made no sound. It produced no image.

See also:

 

Michael Bender: To Trump’s hard-core supporters, his rallies weren’t politics. They were life.

Washington Post

Donald Trump soaked in the adoration as he commanded a rally stage inside a massive central Florida arena. I stewed in my seat and stopped taking notes.

 

Editorial: Tearing Down Cuba’s Cyberwall

Wall Street Journal

Despots have often sought to crush democratic uprisings by shutting down the internet. Cuba’s Communist government did so last week, but President Biden can leverage U.S. technology to tear down Cuba’s cyberwall.

 

Trump’s Big Tech lawsuits highlight the urgency of Section 230 reform

Brookings

The proposed lawsuits argue that banning Trump from social media is a violation of his First Amendment rights. They also refer to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which the former administration attempted to dissolve prior to the end of his tenure.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, July 25, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “U.S. Senator Alex Padilla” - Guest: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, (D-CA). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, July 25, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "U.S. Senator Alex Padilla: Valley Impressions"- Guests: Brian Clark, Editor - Modesto Bee and Merced Sun Star; Joe Kieta, Editor - Fresno Bee; Paul Hurley, formerly with Visalia Times Delta. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Almond growers relieved about smaller crop estimate

Bakersfield Californian

Mettler almond grower Kyle McClintock isn't trying to be ironic when he speaks optimistically about the recent drought conditions that have forced others in the business to uproot entire orchards for lack of irrigation water.

 

'It's Just Really Tough To Make It Now' - Small Farmers Worry Hotter Weather Will Damage Their Crops

VPR

Pete Oliver likes to say his small green Army jeep is older than he is, and he’s 76. But it still runs well after a few starts, and he uses it to drive around his small farm west of downtown Fresno. This day, he takes the jeep to where his watermelons are fading in the heat.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

 

Valley Voices: Health crisis: By one measure, Fresno’s domestic violence is the highest in the state

Fresno Bee

“One day he stole my car and wrecked it. When I called the cops on him, he threatened to kill me.” This is Molly, a survivor of domestic violence. Last year she remembers feeling hopeless, lonely, and terrified to be homeless.

 

Homicides Climb for Most California Counties in 2020

PPIC

Most California counties experienced an unprecedented rise in the number of homicides in 2020, with many seeing jumps of 25% or more. These jumps were driven by gun homicides, and guns played an increasing role in robberies and aggravated assaults.

 

4 wealthy donors fuel overhaul of California's criminal justice system

Politico

Four wealthy activists intent on reshaping California's criminal justice system are gearing up for their biggest test yet against police and prosecutor groups.

 

Arrests at U.S.-Mexico Border This Year Top One Million

Wall Street Journal

Border Patrol agents have made more than a million arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border so far this year, already higher than any full-year total since at least 2005, according to new Customs and Border Protection figures released Friday.

 

Public Safety:

 

Selma Police Chief Joseph Gomez to take time off, but city manager won’t say why

Fresno Bee

The chief of police in Selma will be away from the job until further notice, the city manager confirmed Friday night. Joseph Gomez was sworn in as chief in March. He worked 33 years in the Fresno Police Department, retiring as a lieutenant.

 

After tragic death, Fresno water park operators to fight back against Cal-OSHA report

Fresno Bee

Bob Martin, general manager of the Island Waterpark in Fresno, said they would appeal several findings from a Cal/OSHA inspection following a potential Father’s Day drowning.

 

Update: Modesto says it has two finalists for police chief but declines to name them

Modesto Bee

Modesto is down to two finalists for its next police chief. City Manager Joe Lopez picked them from the four candidates who were interviewed by two panels and in consultation with an official from Ralph Andersen & Associates.

 

Fire:

 

River Fire containment nears 60% as weather eases. But hotter temps are on the way again

Fresno Bee

Cooler weather in the Sierra Nevada on Friday helped fire crews continue to subdue the River Fire, with containment rising to 59% in an early-evening update while the number of acres burned remained at 9,500.

See also:

Warszawski: ‘A huge responsibility dodge.’ Officials take easy way out on Creek Fire near Fresno

Fresno Bee

My news story on the U.S. Forest Service declaring the cause of the Creek Fire as “undermined” went online Friday at 12:42 p.m. At 12:53 p.m., the reactions of Fresno County residents started trickling into my inbox.

See also:

 

California fires are burning faster, hotter, more intensely — and getting harder to fight

Los Angeles Times

The fires have burned more than 140,000 acres, from soaring mountains along the California-Nevada border to forest north of Mt. Shasta and the gateway to Yosemite.

See also:

 

Dangerous conditions complicate wildfire fight in Western U.S.

Washington Post

Erratic winds and dry lightning added to the dangers for crews battling the nation’s largest wildfire on Monday in parched Oregon forests, just one of dozens burning across several Western states.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

 

'We will build something better:' Poplar businesses look to recover

Porterville Recorder

It only took an approximate 30 minutes for Gregorio Rodriguez to see his dream destroyed. His bakery business, La Potosina Panaderia, was one of several businesses and homes devoured by a rogue July 9 fire.

 

Three key takeaways for California small business owners

CalMatters

Small business owners are still dealing with the consequences of the pandemic, with marginalized groups facing additional obstacles to loans.

 

Red-Hot U.S. Economy Expected to Cool From Here

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. economy’s 2021 growth surge likely peaked in the spring, but a strong expansion is expected to continue into next year, say economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal.

 

Jobs:

 

‘A man’s job?’ Yosemite-base program recruits women to become California firefighters

Fresno Bee

When Rocio Macias told her parents she was joining a fire crew, she was told: “This is a man’s job.” “My mom didn’t want me to do it,” said Macias. “She said ‘Ay, ¿qué andas haciendo (What are you doing)?’”

 

Central Valley joblessness up slightly in June

Business Journal

Central Valley counties saw slight upticks in the unemployment rate for June, according to the latest data from the state Employment Development Department.

See also:

 

Legislation Could Outlaw Subminimum Wage For Workers With Disabilities

VPR

Since 1938, employers in California have been able to apply for a certificate that allows them to pay employees with disabilities less than minimum wage - in some cases as little as $2 an hour.

See also:

 

California businesses hiring homeless workers can get a $30,000 tax credit through new law

Sacramento Bee

California businesses hiring workers who are homeless can get up to $30,000 a year in tax credit starting 2022 under a budget bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday.

 

California Drops Mask Requirements For Fully Vaccinated Workers

Capital Public Radio

Fully vaccinated Californians will soon be able to go without masks in the workplace after regulators approved new rules Thursday and Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly waived a waiting period for them to take effect.

 

America’s workers are exhausted and burned out — and some employers are taking notice

Washington Post

Employers across the country are continuing pandemic benefits such as increased paid time off and child- or elder-care benefits as well as embracing flexible work schedules and remote work in recognition that a returning workforce is at high risk of burnout.

See also:

 

New Federal Actions Aim To Tackle Diversity In Stem Fields

Axios

Congress is mulling a number of proposals aimed at investing in technology and traditional scientific research and development that could make huge strides on racial diversity in science.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

All Fresno County schools to require masks in classrooms regardless of vaccination status

Fresno Bee

Students and teachers in Fresno County will wear masks in classrooms this fall, regardless of coronavirus immunization status, schools and health officials said Friday. Students will be allowed to remove their masks outdoors during recess.

See also:

Big loss for group fighting to keep old Fresno High mascot as judge throws out lawsuit

Fresno Bee

A Fresno judge this week dismissed a lawsuit against Fresno Unified that alleged the district broke the law late last year when trustees voted to change the Fresno High School mascot.

 

BCSD's new superintendent's first order of business: making sure students feel welcome, safe

Bakersfield Californian

When superintendent Doc Ervin announced he was leaving the Bakersfield City School District, board president Pam Baugher said the board was looking for continuity during a chaotic time in education.

 

TUSD virtual forum to share school safety plan

Turlock Journal

Turlock Unified School District will hold a virtual forum for families next week following updated mask guidelines released Monday by the state, which leave decisions on face coverings up to local schools.

 

California moves to adopt historic $6 billion broadband plan

EdSource

After decades of advocacy and a pandemic year that forced schools to shift to online instruction, California is preparing to make its largest investment in expanding public broadband access to date.

 

Under attack: California schools face ransomware threat

CalMatters

Experts say the number of attacks against schools in California and across the country are rising as educators try to figure out whether cybersecurity should be a priority.

 

Higher Ed:

Fresno-area college board member works for fellow trustee. Is that a conflict of interest?

Fresno Bee

Nasreen Johnson, a trustee for State Center Community College District, said her new position working for a fellow board member wouldn’t interfere with her duties on the board.

 

Community college unveils new sign, launches new programs

Madera Tribune

Madera Community College unveiled new campus signage featuring its new logo to drivers down Avenue 12 last month.

 

Opinion: Why the GOP should support public higher education

AEI

Our great public colleges and universities have created remarkable public goods for the nation. Recommitting to them is essential for the right.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Why Air Quality Was So Oppressive During Last Year's Wildfire Season

VPR

California’s 2020 wildfire season was indisputably historic: Fires burned 4.3 million acres, five of the blazes went down among the 10 largest in our history. Many were touched off by widespread lightning sieges, which hadn’t occurred at such a high rate since 2008.

 

California Oil Lobby Seeks to Strip Environmental Protections for Groundwater Amid Drought

Capital & Main

A prominent oil and gas lobbying group seeks to strip environmental protections from groundwater sources designated by the state for agricultural use and which may grow increasingly important to California’s water-scarce future.

 

Opinion: Push state to act fast and retake the lead on auto emissions

CalMatters

The climate crisis provides ample reason for the California Air Resources Board to strengthen measures to slash greenhouse gas pollution.

 

California’s Cliffs Are Collapsing One by One

The Atlantic

Collapsing coastal bluffs are a threat wherever waves, earthquakes, and intense rainstorms can destabilize steep seaside terrain, and with sea levels rising, this risk is increasing.

 

Climate models predicted extreme weather fluctuations. Can the damage be reversed?

PBS

In western Germany this week, whole cities seem to be underwater after days of heavy rainfall filled rivers to capacity and quickly turned into flash flooding.

See also:

 

Energy:

 

Deadlines loom as oil producers address idle wells

Bakersfield Californian

The new slogan used by Maricopa oilman Chris Hall speaks to the direction small, independent producers like him may be headed with recent political currents. If it sounds fatalistic, it's also conscientious.

 

Democrats’ Budget Would Finance Sweeping Clean-Energy Plan

Wall Street Journal

The $3.5 trillion budget plan from congressional Democrats would finance a far-reaching transition to cleaner power, but it is expected to face opposition from parts of the energy industry and their industrial customers over provisions likely to raise their costs.

 

Energizing Navajo Nation: How electrification can secure a sustainable future for Indian Country

Brookings

Over the past 150 years, the Navajo Nation has been a site of resource extraction, but has not received the infrastructure necessary to use those resources to the benefit of the Navajo people. To this day, many Navajo citizens live without electricity.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Reaction to J&J, booster shots, flu vaccines & more

Fresno Bee

More than 34 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday, July 17, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 608,000 people who have died nationwide.

See also:

 

‘Cause for alarm’: COVID-19 hospitalizations worsen for Black L.A. County residents

Los Angeles Times

Coronavirus case and hospitalization rates are worsening for Los Angeles County’s Black residents, a troubling sign less than a month after California fully reopened its economy.

 

How can the U.S. reduce drug overdose deaths? A wide range of ideas awaits Biden

Washington Post

A stunning report this week that an estimated 93,000 people died of drug overdose deaths in 2020 has renewed attention on the nation’s other epidemic: the drug crisis that the government, health-care workers and street-level activists have been battling unsuccessfully for more than two decades.

 

Opinion: The Reassuring Data on the Delta Variant

Wall Street Journal

One of the most important questions is whether vaccines are still working well. The best way to answer that is to look at the number of vaccinated people getting serious Covid-19 symptoms or being hospitalized.

See also:

 

Best Filters for Dealing With Wildfire Smoke in Your Home

Consumer Report

In addition to the devastating loss of homes and businesses, wildfire season can bring unhealthy air conditions across the West.

 

Human Services:

 

Fresno Hospital To Employees: Get A Vaccine Or Get Fired

Business Journal

One area hospital is cracking down on Covid-19 vaccine requirements, and threatening the boot to those who don’t comply by Sept. 21.

 

3 ways to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Kings County

Hanford Sentinel

The Delta variant is spreading in Kings County, public health officials say the best protection against the spread of the virus is vaccination and there are three main ways to get a shot in the area.

 

As California shakes, Newsom, hospitals seek delay for earthquake safety upgrades

Los Angeles Times

One hour after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Northern California on Thursday, the California Hospital Assn. tweeted that it’s “time to update seismic standards — to focus on all the services people need after a disaster of any kind.

 

Does L.A. County’s new COVID-19 mask mandate make any sense?

Los Angeles Times

Officials characterized Los Angeles County’s new mask mandate — requiring even vaccinated people to cover their faces indoors while in public — as a minimally disruptive, common-sense tactic to blunt rapidly rising coronavirus transmission.

 

Critics say physicians ‘cartel’ obstructing efforts to punish bad doctors

Los Angeles Times

As injured patients and consumer rights groups fight for tougher penalties on grossly negligent doctors, California’s powerful physicians lobby is working hard behind the scenes to water down any proposed reforms.

 

Newsom promised big on California health care. Where do his bold plans stand now?

CalMatters

Three of the California governor’s boldest health care promises — including affordable medications and universal health care — have made little progress so far.

 

Can Americans resolve partisan divides to create a national child care system?

PBS

Over the past several days, the PBS NewsHour looked at America’s broken child care system and some of the programs trying to address the challenges.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Federal judge rules against DACA program, throwing immigrant protections in doubt

Fresno Bee

A federal judge on Friday suspended the program that protects undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, finding the Obama administration unlawfully created it.

See also:

 

ICE detained a man in Kern County for 77 more days despite deportation relief. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Attorneys are criticizing immigration officials for holding a man at a federal detention center in Kern County for two and a half months after he was granted deportation protection.

 

U.S.-Mexico border apprehensions for the fiscal year surpassed 1 million in June

Washington Post

Federal officials have logged more than 1.1 million apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border this fiscal year, after another busy month in June, Customs and Border Protection said in a news release Friday.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Piece of Sierra Nevada history for sale in Fresno County — and comes with its own Post Office

Fresno Bee

The Big Creek General Store is for sale — but it will take the right buyer. The building is close to 90 years old and is a historic and important part of the small, tight-knit Sierra Nevada community between Shaver and Huntington lakes in Fresno County.

 

State completes Sequoia Complex debris removal

Porterville Recorder

Debris removal for all 140 properties affected by the Sequoia Complex that participated in the State Consolidated Debris Removal Program was completed as of Thursday.

 

County takes control of Turlock property

Turlock Journal

A Turlock property that has repeatedly been the site of illegal marijuana grows, as well as other drug and nuisance issues, has been placed into county receivership after a court ruling.

 

Housing:

 

Renters may be feeling the heat as 'out-of-town' renters arrive with slightly fatter wallets

Bakersfield Californian

It appears local renters may be in for more bad news — or at least more of the same. Just weeks ago, a survey of local rental units found the city's sinking vacancy rate was making it tougher than ever to find an apartment for rent in the city.

 

California will spend a record amount on homelessness. Here’s where it’s going

Los Angeles Times

California will spend a record $4.8 billion over two years to alleviate homelessness after legislators Thursday unanimously passed key details of a new state budget.

See also:

 

The double-edged sword of upzoning

Brookings

As cities across the country grapple with soaring housing costs, the need for zoning reform is more pressing than ever. Cities are in desperate need of more housing, but exclusionary zoning practices often thwart housing growth.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

House Appropriations Committee approves $300K in funding for Turlock nonprofit

Turlock Journal

Pending approval from the President, one nonprofit in Turlock could benefit greatly from Congressman Josh Harder’s presence on the House Appropriations Committee after it approved several of his proposed funding projects this week.

 

California lawmakers approve nation’s first state-funded guaranteed income plan

Los Angeles Times

California lawmakers on Thursday approved the first state-funded guaranteed income plan in the U.S., committing $35 million for monthly cash payments to qualifying expectant mothers and young adults who recently left foster care with no restrictions on how they spend it.

See also:

 

New stimulus checks, rent relief, business grants: Newsom signs more recovery bills

Los Angeles Times

As California emerges from the pandemic, state leaders have approved a $100-billion plan to spur the recovery, with checks going out for rent relief, state stimulus payments and grants to businesses.

 

Californians Want Policies that Close the Gap between Rich and Poor

PPIC

Income inequality has been a growing problem in California for several decades that has worsened because of the pandemic. Most Californians now see two Californias—one for the rich and one for the poor—and beyond recognizing this situation, most want action.

See also:

 

For U.S. Latinos, COVID-19 Has Taken a Personal and Financial Toll

Pew Research Center

More than a year into the pandemic, Latinos in the United States say COVID-19 has harmed them and their loved ones in many ways.

 

Opinion: The Inflation Tax on Capital

Wall Street Journal

June’s 5.4% inflation highlights one of President Biden’s more damaging and quixotic economic proposals: to raise the top tax rate on capital gains.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

An electric airplane landed in Modesto, powered by solar panels. Is this the future?

Modesto Bee

Modesto Airport got a visit from the possible future – a small electric plane powered by solar. Joseph Oldham landed the craft as part of a multi-day tour of SJV. He taxied past a conventional fuel pump, pulled up to a portable solar array, and plugged in for recharging.

 

Railroad project on former dinner train line stirs up dust, anger from Oakdale neighbors

Modesto Bee

Lately, the growing shortline railroad is moving more freight and its new transfer station is stirring up complaints about dust, noise and more from nearby residents.

 

Jim Costa, Alex Padilla optimistic about securing federal money for California bullet train

Fresno Bee

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, got a firsthand look at construction progress on California’s beleaguered high-speed rail project on Friday, accompanying Rep. Jim Costa on a tour of the new viaduct that spans the San Joaquin River at the Fresno-Madera county line.

See also:

 

California Releases CAPTI: Its Plan to Combine Transportation and Climate Goals

StreetsBlog Cal

“The climate crisis is upon us,” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary David S. Kim when announcing the release of the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI) the state’s newest plan to mitigate and battle Climate Change.

 

Selling Your Used Car? You Could Turn a Profit

Wall Street Journal

Chevy Silverado owner Franko Dokaj stopped by his dealership recently expecting to buy new floor mats. Instead, he walked away with a killer deal: The store offered to buy his one-year-old truck for $3,000 more than he originally paid for it last spring.

 

WATER

 

California Senator Alex Padilla talks water projects during visit to Fresno, Valley

Fresno Bee

In his first official visit to the central San Joaquin Valley, Sen. Alex Padilla pledged Friday to back funding for infrastructure across California as a way to improve the economy.

 

Coalition blasts plans to divert Colorado River amid drought

Business Journal

Farmers, environmentalists and small-town business owners gathered at the Hoover Dam on Thursday to call for a moratorium on building pipelines and dams along the Colorado River that they say would jeopardize the 40 million people who rely on it as a water source.

 

LOIS HENRY: State ponies up $200 million toward $2.35 billion repair bill for major canals

Bakersfield Californian

Several of the state’s key canals will get a sprinkle of state money this year and next toward fixing more than $2 billion in damage caused by sinking land from excessive groundwater pumping.

 

“A River Remembered” Looks Back To When The Kern River Flowed Through Bakersfield

VPR

A project is underway throughout July to remember when the now dry Kern River flowed through the city of Bakersfield. The organization Bring Back the Kern is collecting photos, videos and stories of the once moving river for an upcoming exhibit.

 

Podcast: Newsom asks Californians to cut water usage as communities suffer from extreme drought

CalMatters

Communities across California are suffering from extreme drought conditions. CalMatters environmental reporter Rachel Becker joins the podcast to share her reporting on the drought’s varying impact across the state.

 

Trump showerhead rule on more water flow goes down the drain

abcNews

So much for Donald Trump’s quest for “perfect” hair. The Biden administration is reversing a Trump-era rule approved after the former president complained he wasn’t getting wet enough because of limits on water flow from showerheads.

 

What the megadrought means to the American West

CBSNews

The American West was once seen as a place of endless possibilities: grand vistas, bountiful resources, and cities that somehow grew out of deserts. Now, manifest destiny has become a manifest emergency.

 

“Xtra”

 

Will an amusement park really come to Fresno? Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

Fresno leaders on Thursday confirmed they “rolled out the red carpet” for a big-time investor interested in financing a bunch of new entertainment developments. While nothing is set in stone, the potential of $300 million worth of projects would undoubtedly transform Fresno.

See also:

 

Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth

Think you can tell the difference between True and False?

Do you really know what is fake news?

 

Support the Maddy Daily

 

HERE

Thank you!

 

 

Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ 

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

Subscribe to the Maddy Daily HERE

 

To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: amyboam@csufresno.edu